Dubbo's Catholic school teachers are happy they will be signing a new enterprise agreement this week but disappointed the Catholic Dioceses of NSW took so long to agree to terms according to one St John's teacher. Louise Hughes said the Dioceses’ delaying tactics only put students at a disadvantage. "Look it is about time this agreement was finalised, it has taken too long, it has been ridiculous," she said. "The Dioceses drawing out the negotiations have made this process more difficult than it should have been. "The ability to go to the Fair Work Commission for arbitration if it is needed is more of a safety net for teachers, it's not like we will go there in the first instance if there was a dispute, but if we don't have it, we have got nowhere else to go." Mrs Hughes said the best part of the agreement, would be extra mentoring for new teachers and smaller class sizes. "Our new teachers need that mentoring to progress their skills," she said. "Also the Dioceses wanted to increase class sizes which would have drastically impacted on the students, and this agreement allows for us to keep smaller class sizes in our senior rooms and our practicals and that is what we were fighting for.”

Catholic teachers happy with new enterprise agreement

Finally we agree: Louise Hughes said the Dioceses’ delaying tactics only put students at a disadvantage.

Dubbo's Catholic school teachers are happy they will be signing a new enterprise agreement this week but disappointed the Catholic Dioceses of NSW took so long to agree to terms according to one St John's teacher.

Louise Hughes said the Dioceses’ delaying tactics only put students at a disadvantage.

"Look it is about time this agreement was finalised, it has taken too long, it has been ridiculous," she said.

"The Dioceses drawing out the negotiations have made this process more difficult than it should have been.

"The ability to go to the Fair Work Commission for arbitration if it is needed is more of a safety net for teachers, it's not like we will go there in the first instance if there was a dispute, but if we don't have it, we have got nowhere else to go."

It is about time this agreement was finalised

Louise Hughes

Mrs Hughes said the best part of the agreement, would be extra mentoring for new teachers and smaller class sizes.

"Our new teachers need that mentoring to progress their skills," she said.

"Also the Dioceses wanted to increase class sizes which would have drastically impacted on the students, and this agreement allows for us to keep smaller class sizes in our senior rooms and our practicals and that is what we were fighting for.”